


A Journey Between Land and Sea

by cleoericwayne



Category: Pocket Monsters | Pokemon (Main Video Game Series), Pocket Monsters | Pokemon - All Media Types, Pocket Monsters: Ruby & Sapphire & Emerald | Pokemon Ruby Sapphire Emerald Versions
Genre: Gen, Houen-chichou | Hoenn, Not Canon Compliant, Original Pokemon Adventure, Pokemon Journey, Psychic Pokemon Are Terrifying
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-09-06
Updated: 2017-09-15
Packaged: 2018-12-24 11:07:44
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 8,511
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12011439
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cleoericwayne/pseuds/cleoericwayne
Summary: Six months after the disaster caused by Kyogre and Groudon in Hoenn, siblings Eric and Cleo and their Pokémon partners set out on their journey.





	1. Arrivals

**Author's Note:**

> This work started as a writing practice/collaboration between friends. We took turns writing, so you may notice some inconsistencies or errors. Some things will not be canon compliant. That being said, please feel free to comment if you have any questions or suggestions. Thank you for reading, we hope you enjoy our journey through Hoenn!

The sea sparkled in the afternoon sun and a warm, salty breeze wafted up through the streets of Slateport City. The sounds of the bustling market echoed on the walls of the surrounding buildings and the foghorn of a freight ship boomed across the rooftops. A flock of Wingull soared high above the fountain plaza, their seemingly weightless bodies occasionally crossing in front of the sun. A young man sat on one of the benches overlooking the fountain. At his feet, an Aron slept. Its eyes were shut tight and its small body rose and fell with its breath. The young man’s light brown hair swayed in the breeze, the light of the sun reflecting off of his blue-rimmed sunglasses. He wore a light red polo shirt with blue trim and little plus and minus buttons. His shorts were white and his shoes a light blue. He gazed into the fountain. It was in the shape of a coiled Milotic spraying water straight into the air and several Corsola facing outwards and trickling water into the base pool. On the bottom of the pool, there was a colorful mosaic depicting the founding of the city.

The Slateport Fountain Plaza was Eric’s favorite place in the city to come and spend the afternoon. Minny, his Aron, loved to sunbathe by the benches, away from the water. The plaza was a popular spot for trainers to gather and battle each other as well as it was a place where tourists and locals alike would come to enjoy some Miltank ice cream they bought from the market. Today, there weren’t any trainers testing their might and strategies, just people out enjoying the summer sun while they could. A girl with her Electrike ran by and a Taillow came down to bathe in the fountain. The relaxed atmosphere of the seaside town permeated everything and everyone.

Eric stirred and Minny woke to his moving feet. She stretched her little legs and got to her feet.

“Are you ready to head out Minny? Dad should be getting back from delivery to Dewford soon, wanna head to the harbor?” Eric asked.

“Arron!” Minny replied and nodded. The two walked to the edge of the plaza to the bike racks. Eric unlocked his bike and put Minny in the basket in front. She sat, bracing herself on the sides of the basket. They set off towards the harbor on the eastern side of town.

The late afternoon heat didn’t quell the bustling activity of the sailors, fishers, tourists, and trainers that swarmed the narrow piers. Cleo waited on a pile of boxes just outside the worst of the hubbub, nearly bouncing with excitement. She toyed idly with one of the braided pigtails that trailed down over her shoulders. From this vantage point she could see her father’s ship coming in, still near the horizon, but closing the distance fast. She couldn’t wait to see him again. Her father was never gone for long, usually just running mail between Slateport and Dewford or Pacifidlog, but Cleo had never failed to greet him at the harbor when he came back home. Like always, her dad would be on the bow looking for her and Eric as the ship came into dock and would wave excitedly as soon as he spotted them. He would come off the plank, bag slung over his shoulder, and wrap each of them up in a big hug one right after the other. To top it all off, they would all go to get ice cream before heading home for dinner and it would be perfect.

This time though, was special. Tomorrow was the day every kid dreamed about; the day she and Eric left on their Pokemon adventure! Cleo clutched her Ralts, Topper, closer to her chest. She tried to savor the familiar anticipation and excitement while she could, knowing it might be the last time she waited for her father like this. She forced a smile and regained her enthusiasm as she ,focused on trying to catch a glimpse of the tiny figures just becoming visible on the incoming vessel. The small mail ship was dwarfed by the giant passenger freighters on either side, but she thought she could just make out the hulking figure of her father’s Machoke looming over the smaller crowd by the bow. Grinning, she settled back to wait.

Eric sped along on his bike, Minny bouncing around in the basket, visibly annoyed. The sun was getting lower in the sky as the afternoon turned to evening. Eric heard a familiar whistle as he entered the harbor. Minny hopped out of the basket as soon as the bike came to a stop. She spat a bit of mud and glared at it vengefully. Eric chuckled and stashed the bike in the abandoned wooden shipping container that he had been using as his secret base since he was 8 years old. He and Minny looked around it one last time. They knew what tomorrow would bring and they knew that this would be one of the last times they would ever lay eyes on the old and shabby wooden box that had been like a second home for the two of them. It was empty now, as Eric didn’t want any of the treasures he had accumulated over the years to be stolen. All that remained were some of the carvings on the walls. Among them was an etching of Minny that Eric did when he was 8 and another that read “CLEO STINKS” with a caricature of his sister as a Grimer. He looked on fondly, at all of the memories etched into the walls of the crate.

The familiar whistle sounded again, this time much closer. Eric and Minny looked at each othor, nodded, and exited. They walked to the dock where their father’s mail ship usually pulled in. The ship had already docked and his father was embracing Cleo, who had clearly beaten Eric to the docks. Minny ran ahead to greet Topper. The two had been good friends since Eric’s dad brought Minny to Eric from Dewford Island as a 10th birthday present. Eric yelped as he was lifted into the air.

“Maaaachoke!” a cheerful voice boomed from behind him. Startled by the cry, the others and turned to see Eric squirming in the air, now laughing as Machoke tickled him. Rand, their father, and his Machoke were very similar. They were both very wily and they both loved to pull little practical jokes on the kids. This was just one example of what Eric had to go through as a child. Machoke stopped tickling Eric and the two hugged. Despite the initial shock, Eric was happy to see Machoke. Upon being set down, Eric walked over to give his father a hug as well. Cleo stood, still giggling at Eric’s scare.

“Well, kids, are you ready to get ice cream one last time before you set out on your journey?” Rand asked, pleasantly.

“You bet! Are we meeting mom there too?” Eric replied.

“She should be done working by now. I guess we’ll see when we get to Whitney’s!” Rand said. They all, with the exception of Eric for a brief minute who snuck off to retrieve his bike, headed north of the harbor to Whitney’s, the ice cream shop on the other side of the block from where they grew up.

Dinah sat outside Whitney’s in a pink gingham dress at a little patio table shaded by an umbrella, which was not a surprise for Eric and Cleo. Their mother claimed this is where their father had taken her on their first date, so it had been a special spot for the family even before they were a family.

What was a surprise was the young man sitting with her. He looked a few years older than Eric, which maybe put him at about eighteen, and about a half a foot taller. He had a lean build with bronze skin, dark eyes, and messy, chin-length black hair beneath a straw hat. He had broad shoulders and wore a cream-colored linen tank top, with khaki shorts, and hiking boots that were tucked politely under the table. A green Pokémon, which the siblings had only seen in picture books, suddenly became perfectly still when the family approached, as if this would make it invisible. The boy looked like he wished he could do the same. Dinah smiled and waved.

“I thought you’d all show up,” she said. “It’s starting to get warm, so I thought I’d get us a nice spot. And this,” she gestured towards her companion, “is Wayne. He arrived this morning from Johto to start his own Pokémon journey here in Hoenn.” He bolted up abruptly, and bowed a little, which must have been the custom in Johto. From this angle, the markings on the green Pokémon’s body looked like a very disgruntled face.

“I-I’m very pleased to meet you all,” Wayne stammered.

“Wayne was telling me,” Dinah said, giving a pointed look at Rand, “that he’s from Azalea Town, and has spent a lot of time outside, camping. He’s here to learn about the local bug Pokémon.” As if curtains had been lifted, his large backpack and Butterfree net became abundantly clear.

“Is that a Spinarak?” asked Cleo. The anxious Pokémon fidgeted a little, hearing its name, and Wayne stood straight. He did not seem any more at ease.

“Yeah, his name’s Smiley, do you want to see him? H-he’s a little shy around new people.”

“You don’t say,” said Rand,. Cleo and Topper nodded eagerly in sync. Her eyes had widened while Eric was doing a fair job of playing it cool. Wayne raised his hand level with his temple, and made a clicking sound as if he was calling a Skitty. The six black and yellow legs, which nearly reached the ends of the straw hat, rustled and shifted, and the Pokémon slowly made its way onto his hand then down the length of his forearm. .

“He won’t bite,” Wayne promised. Cleo extended her arm methodically until her palm rested on top of the Spinarak’s little head. .

“I was just telling Wayne here,” Dinah said, returning to business. Rand could hear in her tone she had conducted an elaborate scheme, and that her decision was final. “That our kids are about to go on their own Pokemon adventure. Wayne here volunteered to go with them, since he has a lot of experience outside. I know we haven’t gone camping much as a family, and I noticed that those books I bought haven’t even been opened.” She shot Eric and Cleo a look.

Cleo and Eric shared a bit of a guilty look at that. Their mom had been nervous about them going off on their own since the beginning. They’d promised to read the books she got them about survival and emergency first aid and things like that, but had usually been derailed by talking about all the cool Pokémon they might see on their travels. Their adventuring packs were sitting at home right now, filled with items and medicines they barely knew how to use. Wayne seemed nice, if a bit nervous, and it would be nice to have someone along who knew what he was doing. Besides, having someone else around would keep Eric from being too much of a butt.

Cleo shot Wayne a dazzling smile as she gave an increasingly comfortable Smiley soft scratches along the length of its body. It chirruped happily, flattening down even further on the bug catcher’s hand in satisfaction. After a moment Eric reached his hand out nervously to join in.

“W-what about your Pokémon?” Wayne asked, smiling shyly as Smiley positively chittered with joy. “Is that a Ralts you’re holding?”

“Yup!” Cleo beamed. She reached down and scooped Topper up, holding him proudly for Wayne to see. Smiley gave a high-pitched screech in startlement at the sudden appearance of the new Pokémon, then skittered back up Wayne’s arm to peek out from behind his shoulder. Cleo frowned in concern. “Sorry Smiley! I didn’t mean to scare you.”

“It’s okay.” Wayne assured her, reaching up to calm the poor Pokémon down. “He’s just a little nervous.”

With a little more mindfulness this time, Cleo introduced Topper. “He doesn’t do much.” She admitted fondly, moving him around in the air in circles to demonstrate his complete lack of reaction. Eric managed to coax Minny forward enough for Wayne to pat her head too. By the time the introductions were done, Wayne looked a little more comfortable and the siblings were regaling him with their various plans for their adventure. Their mom and dad shared a fond look and a nod, then stood to start herding the small group into the ice cream shop.

They all ordered their ice creams and went back to sit outside to enjoy the evening sun and the sunset.

“So, do you have a plan for what time you’re going to leave tomorrow?” Dinah asked the group. Wayne blinked and shifted his gaze from Eric to Cleo, nervously. 

“I’d like to set off as soon as possible.” Cleo stated, shooting an accusatory look at Eric.

“Cool, so you’re leaving now?” Eric retorted, knowing full-well that he was notorious for sleeping in late. Cleo stuck her tongue out at him and their parents exchanged worried looks. A faint, worried smile appeared in the corner of Wayne’s mouth.

“H-how about 10?” Wayne interjected. “It won’t be too early, but we can have m-more time to get ready.” Eric shrugged, but clearly agreed. Cleo nodded, but seemed like she wanted to get going sooner.

“Well, it’s settled then!” Rand started. “I take it you’ll be heading to Mauville City first?”

“Maybe,” said Eric. “It might make more sense to make for Oldale Town and head to Petalburg City. I’ve heard good things about the gym there and I would really like to check it out.”

“You’ve heard good things from it because really powerful trainers go there!” Cleo said, exasperated. “Norman is extremely strong! Don’t you remember seeing him battle on TV? His Slaking is a formidable Pokémon to face! Remind me again, how much experience do you have in Pokémon battles?” Eric refused to give in.

“Plenty. You know that I’ve been training at the battle club since I got Minny. We’re a great team and we rarely lose!” he shot back.

“That’s enough you two,” Dinah said firmly. “Let’s have a nice family outing, plus Wayne, of course, without you fighting. Don’t make me regret letting you go off on your journey together! !” Eric and Cleo stopped quickly. They had been begging their parents to let them go on a journey for two years and they didn’t want to jeopardize their opportunity, now that they were so close to achieving that goal.

“I’m okay with Oldale,” Wayne said timidly. “Even if we d-don’t start at the Petalburg Gym, we can still start there . I’ve read a lot about Petalburg Woods and I’d really like to to see them! I-I really want to see the sorts of bug Pokémon live there!” His eyes gleamed obsessively. Eric raised an eyebrow, but shrugged off Wayne’s sudden manic behaviour . He was just happy to have another vote in his favor. Cleo, surprisingly, seemed to be in agreement anyway.

“I’d like to see Rustboro City, so I guess I’ll agree with Eric on this one,” Cleo added finally. 

Since the plan had been made and the ice cream eaten, the five of them began to load Dinah’s car. Rand helped Eric load his bike onto the rack before opening the trunk. Wayne handled his things on his own, almost making a point to not be obstructive, which Eric pocketed for later. Cleo delighted in getting to know Wayne, his favorite color (green), what the ferry ride from Olivine was like (long, cramped, and boring), and any other little detail that crossed her mind. Smiley huddled, burrowed almost, into Wayne’s lap, who gently stroked the spider’s abdomen. 

The face looks like it’s smiling now, Eric thought. He was about to ask Wayne if this was something Spinarak could do, when he noticed something about one of its legs. He noticed it was a nub. 

“What happened to your Pokémon?” he asked. Cleo glared like an Arbok, as if she’d noticed earlier but had been too sweet to say anything. 

“Oh this,” said Wayne , and ever so gently began to massage the little nub. Smiley flinched , but then quickly relaxed. “Maybe a Murkrow? I found him like this in the forest, and took him to the Pokémon Center. Since my dad works at the Azalea gym--”

“Your dad works at a gym!” Eric nearly shouted, first out of excitement, and then out of a little jealousy. “What Pokémon does he have? How close is he to the gym leader? What--”

“No, n-no, nothing like that,” Wayne admitted, “he’s actually a dietician, and handles a lot of the meals for the the Pokémon there so that they battle in optimal condition. Anyway, since he was kind of a medical worker, they let me keep him under his supervision.” Wayne smiled at Smiley. “He can climb vertical surfaces now, though not very high, and he has trouble balancing, but we’re working on that. I learned a few rehabilitation techniques at the Slowpoke Well-ness Center. I was a volunteer,” he added. 

“That’s so beautiful,” said Cleo. Her eyes were misty, as if she was going to cry. Topper stared out the window like a stone watching the seasons pass. 

“Have you ever used him in a Pokémon battle? ” Eric asked.. 

“I-I haven’t really been focusing on that,” Wayne said mareepishly. “He and Topper might have a fair fight though, if Smiley felt up to it. Bug type Pokémon are effective against Psychic types.” 

“Really?” asked Eric. There weren’t many Bug users in the televised Hoenn leagues, and most of the time it was someone using a Heracross, which could use fighting moves. 

“Yeah,” Wayne continued. “Psychic type Pokémon use mental power, right? So their weakness should be common fears. Like the dark, or bugs.” 

Eric decided then that all of the trainers he watched had never fully utilized their bug Pokémon. Wayne had let him on to a game changing secret. 

“So what other Pokémon do you have?” Eric asked. He could see two other Pokéballs, albeit odd ones, on Wayne’s belt, and was eager to know what Pokémon he brought from Johto. 

“I’ll let them out when we get to the house,” Wayne promised. 

After that promise, it was all Dinah and Rand can do to keep their children from cornering Wayne the second they all piled in the front door. 

“Cleo! Eric! MANNERS.” Rand called from the car as the kids practically hung off of Wayne’s arms in excitement. Cleo pouted childishly, but grabbed the bug catcher’s hand and dragged him around on the world’s speediest and least informative home tour. Poor Wayne looked a bit overwhelmed at the whirlwind of information and enthusiasm. The adults had barely made it into the kitchen to start dinner by the time the trio appeared in the archway, Eric and Cleo making innocent Lillipup eyes with Wayne looking a bit dazed in the background. Dinah tried to give a stern look in response, but couldn’t hide a small smile at her children's pathetically pleading faces.

“All right.” she relented. “Go have fun. Dinner will be ready in a half-hour!” she called after their happily retreating backs. “And try not to scare the poor boy off.” Rand just laughed.

The trio settled in the grassy back yard , intimidating rays of eagerness radiating off the siblings as they waited for Wayne to pull out his strange Pokéballs to show them. 

“U-uh, well, this is my very first Pokemon, Leedee.” He said, pulling a green Pokéball with three red spots off of his belt. It burst open to reveal a large, lady-bug like Pokémon that blinked a bit confusedly at them. 

“It’s. So. CUTE!” Cleo shrieked. The Pokémon stood only about a head shorter than herself, and she simply couldn’t resist the temptation to rush forward and wrap the creature in a big hug. 

“Le-diiii-an?” the perturbed Pokémon trilled, looking to Wayne.

“It’s okay, Leedee. These are my new friends!” Wayne says.

Eric was intrigued by the Ledian. He’d never seen one in person before and he was impressed by the spot pattern on her back. He walked over and offered his hand to the Pokémon. Leedee took it and they shook hands.

“So, do the two of you have any other Pokémon?” Wayne asked, curiously.

“Nope,” Eric replied. “It’s just me and Minny and Cleo and Topper. That’s why we’re so anxious to get going on our journey. I’ve been itching to see what kinds of Pokémon I’ll meet. Slateport is great because it’s a very high traffic area; you get to see and meet a lot of different Pokémon that you don’t normally see around here. It’s mostly Normal, Grass, Electric, and Water types that live around here. And I suppose you’ll see the occasional Bug-type in the early spring and late summer because there are big migrations of Beautifly and Dustox that go to and from the Petalburg area.” Wayne’s eyes glinted fiercely at the mention of nearby bug Pokémon . He was clearly satisfied with his choice to come to the Hoenn region. The three continued to chat and play with their Pokémon. Eric and Minny showed off how she was learning to use the move Iron Head and Cleo tried to spur Topper to action, but got little more than a rustling of grass around him.

Machoke came out to call the group in for dinner. They all came in, hurriedly. The table was set and the food was out. Dinah and Rand had made quite the spread of Pecha berry salad, roasted Cornn berries, and fried tofu with a spicy Tamato berry dipping sauce. Dinah and Rand had met in a cooking class many years ago and they continued to enjoy cooking together. They had a small, but sufficient berry garden in their backyard that Dinah tended. All of the berries used in the dinner were grown right there at the house. Slateport’s climate lent itself to year-round growing so Eric and Cleo had been pretty spoiled by the quality of food they grew up with. They all sat down at the table and began dishing up. Wayne went rigid when the bouquet of roses on the table started moving.

“RosELLia!” came a voice from the bouquet and a small green Pokémon with roses for hands separated itself from the bouquet.

“So, that’s where you went Flora!” Dinah exclaimed. “I’m sorry to startle you, Wayne. This is Flora, my Roselia. She loves flowers and she helps me in the garden.” Flora rustled her roses and a delightful aroma wafted through the dining room.

“That’s her Aromatherapy move,” Cleo stated. “It’s really relaxing, isn’t it?” Wayne nodded, still startled, but impressed.

“Thank you, Flora. Now, please can you get off the table?” Dinah asked politely. Flora bowed, hopped down, and went out into the backyard. Dinah smiled at everyone and they began to eat. Everyone thoroughly enjoyed the meal. Eric showed off by showing how much of the Tamato sauce he could endure. 

After dinner, Dinah and Rand cleaned up and Eric and Cleo started packing. Wayne sat and glossed some of the books that Dinah had bought for Eric and Cleo in the living room. Topper sat, motionless, in one of the armchairs next to Wayne and Minny slept on the stone hearth of the fireplace. The night wore on and there was an almost tangible air of excitement and apprehension that permeated the whole house.


	2. Beginnings

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Our heroes set out on their journey.

The sun shone out clear over Slateport the next morning, pure blue sky opening up before the trio like the endless possibilities of their awaiting adventures. Cleo and Wayne chatted excitedly, steps quick and full of vigor, while Eric dragged his feet a little ways behind them. He had been woken up an hour ago with Smiley on his face. He had screamed, terrifying the poor Pokémon in turn, and they had both positively bolted to opposite corners of the room. Cleo had laughed until she was gasping for breath, clutching the wall for support while Wayne apologized profusely. She claimed to have had nothing to do with it, but the fact that he had been dangerously close to sleeping through their 10 o’clock deadline made him suspicious. He eyed the back of her head grumpily as he inhaled his breakfast.

After they’d checked their backpacks one last time, Dinah handed each of her kids a small package that contained their respective Pokédexes. The kids had applied for them at the same time as their Pokémon Trainer licenses, though Dinah and Rand held onto them until now. Eric and Cleo each took a moment to familiarize themselves with the device. They scanned their own Pokémon to register them and typed in their trainer ID’s. Now, Pokédexes in hand, Eric and Cleo bade their parents goodbye. Wayne bowed again and again in appreciation for the hospitality he had been shown. Dinah and Rand, a little misty-eyed, each told them how proud they were of them, and made them promise to call home as soon as they reached a Pokémon Center. Machoke carried itself as if nothing was amiss, but when he and Eric said their goodbyes the large Pokémon reached down and squeezed him with a great and powerful hug. . As they waved goodbye, Cleo’s eyes glistened and Eric kept his eyes hidden as they headed past the Contest Hall on their way to the gate to Route 110. 

The siblings’ brand new trainer outfits and loaded backs attracted a lot of attention as they navigated the busy streets. Neighbors and strangers alike called out to them as they passed, wishing them luck on their journey. Cleo waved enthusiastically back, seeming not to notice the weight of their gear or the Pokémon she was carrying like a Poké doll under one arm. Wayne radiated nervousness in the hubbub of the city, but calmed as their surrounding turned more towards the soft lines of nature. The throng of people going about their business ebbed into a steady stream of travelers and triathletes passing by, and they all passed through the northern gate feeling optimistic.

“That way leads to Mauville City.” Cleo pointed out the entrance to the raised bike path to Wayne. “I’ve never been that way, though. The people who ride there all go really fast and Mom and Dad thought it was dangerous.The lower path goes there too, and it’s a lot safer. It’s a really cool floating bridge that lets people and Pokémon cross the marsh safely. There’s some tall grass, but we would always sit on my dad’s Machoke’s shoulders when we went through there.” 

“There’s this weird guy that lives there though.” Eric added. 

“Weird guy?” Wayne asked as he stared into the woods through a pair of binoculars.

“Yeah. He calls himself the Trick Master. He runs a weird puzzle game out of his house. We stopped there one time to see what it was all about. He was hiding really badly behind one his plants and popped out when we spotted him, talking about how we had ‘defeated’ him and that we should go through a scroll on the wall to do the puzzle. Dad just kind of said ‘thanks but no thanks’ because it was super strange and we all moved on.” Wayne gave him a look like he was pulling his leg.

“I remember that, though I think I was pretty young.” confirmed Cleo as her gaze shifted towards the edge of the path. “Look! Berries!” 

“Those are Oran berries!” Eric exclaimed. “We should grab a few. They’re great for restoring a Pokémon’s energy!” The group agreed and walked into the grass. They approached the bush and began plucking the berries and stowing them away in their packs. A faint rustling sound came from behind the group, but they quickly dismissed it, as the wind had recently picked up. After they finished picking their fill of berries, they sat down to eat a couple. Wayne, the clearly most prepared member of the group, took out a pocket knife and sliced two of the berries into wedges and they all spit the slices between themselves and their Pokémon.

Another rustling sound came through the grass. It was closer this time and they could have sworn they could hear a faint crackling sound. Smiley started to get a bit twitchy. They stood up cautiously and faced the direction of the noise and in the same moment, there came a flash of green.Eric was knocked to the ground.

“What was that?” Cleo demanded nervously. The rustling sound came again and this time, they could definitely hear the sound of electricity crackling from behind the grass. Eric jumped to his feet, heart pounding; he braced himself.

“We’ve got this one,” he said with a serious look on his face. “Minny, get ready. Here it comes again.” Minny took an aggressive stance and glared into the tall grass with her feet digging into the ground. All of a sudden, a jolt of electricity came from the direction of the rustling. Minny instantly threw up her front legs and with them came a big wave of mud that collided with the jolt, discharging it into the ground.

“Minny, now! Rock Tomb!” Eric yelled. Minny cried and slammed her front legs back down into the ground. Jagged rock spikes exploded from the ground in the direction of the bolt of electricity. The aggressor leaped out of the grass to avoid the rocks and came into full view in the little clearing.

“I thought so,” Eric said confidently. “Electrike, you’re mine! Minny, use Mud Slap again!”

“AAAroon!” Minny cried and sent another spray of mud towards the Electrike. The attack was too big for Electrike to dodge entirely. It was struck in the face and its eyes were covered in mud.

“Now’s our chance! Minny, use Take Down!” Eric yelled. Minny shot forward like a rocket and slammed head on into Electrike. Electrike flew back and lay on the ground.

“Pokéball! Go!” Eric yelled excitedly as he threw the red and white sphere he had removed from his belt. The ball collided with the weakened Pokémon and with a flash of red light, Electrike disappeared into the ball. It shook once. Then twice. On the third shake, the button in the center stopped flashing and the ball went still. 

“Alright!” Eric cried as he retrieved the ball and lifted it into the air. “I caught an Electrike! Welcome to the team,” Eric looked at the ball proudly and threw it into the air again. A blinding white flash came as the ball opened and Electrike, exhausted, stood looking cautiously at its new trainer. Eric approached slowly with a couple slices of Oran berry to give to Bolt. He happily accepted Eric’s gesture and jumped lick his face after eating the berries.

“I’m going to call you Bolt for the way you bolted into me, okay?” Eric said to the Pokémon, which nodded in agreement. “This is Minny. I hope she didn’t rough you up too badly!” Eric introduced Minny to Bolt. They two rubbed noses and smiled at each other.

“And these are our other travelling companions!” Eric said as he gestured toward the others.

“Hello Bolt!” Cleo sang. She hurried over to greet her brother’s first catch, and appraised its features to conclude that it was, in fact, super cute. “And this is Topper!” She set him down in front of Bolt. He simply fell over, and just lay there in the grass, as if he’d always just lain there in the grass and intended to stay that way. Bolt sniffed him cautiously, and gave off a few startled sparks as Minny found a little pebble, chewed it, then spat it out at Topper like a pit.

From a comfortable distance, Wayne fumbled for his Pokédex in his backpack, having not found it in his pockets. It was tucked into the folds of a sweater. His was a red and silver rectangular device, which flipped open, the clear mark of a Johto model, as Hoenn Pokédexes opened like books.

“Electrike, an electric type Pokémon native to the Hoenn region,” said the mechanical voice as Wayne steadied the device in his shaky hands. He pressed a button on the screen. “The fur of this mammalian Pokémon has an electric charge, which it uses to further stimulate its muscles.” Wayne hmm’ed in a sort of mild interest. 

“Aren’t you going to say hello?” Eric asked. Wayne stiffened in embarrassment.

“O-oh, right. H-hello Bolt. It’s nice to meet you,” he managed, unconvincingly. Smiley, meanwhile, had hidden himself in Wayne’s cavern of a backpack. Only his horn and a glint from his dark eye peered out suspiciously.

“Leedee too,” Eric insisted. Wayne, rattled from the sudden encounter and embarrassed that he forgot himself reached for the green Pokéball at his belt, and paused. He looked at the orange Pokéball with yellow markings beside it, and his face grimaced as if he smelled something unpleasant. He had not opened that Pokéball last night. At least, not when Eric had been awake, and so he was very curious to know what other Pokémon Wayne had brought with him from Johto.

“C-come on out, Leedee, and Yanma,” Leedee materialized out of a beam of red light. His big blue eyes glowed with kindness, and he took an immediate friendly interest in the new Pokémon which Eric found uncharacteristic of both Wayne and Smiley.

The second Pokémon had a body like a red pencil, a meter long, with a round green eraser for a face. Or, no, those were two green eyes, with long, rounded wings buzzing at its side.

“What a cool Pokémon!” exclaimed Cleo. Before she could ask what it was, Eric, taking a mental note from Wayne, opened his Pokédex. He did this with the casual sort of motion one does when one has always done this sort of thing, as opposed to the sudden, strong motions of one-upsmanship.

“Yanma, a bug and flying Pokémon native to Johto,” began an electronic voice with a lower tone. “Yanma is capable of seeing 360 degrees without having to move its eyes. It is a great flier that is adept at making sudden stops and turning midair. This Pokémon uses its flying ability to quickly chase down targeted prey.”

“This is Yanma,” said Wayne. Yanma looked like it had just woken up from a nap. It also looked like it was not at all pleased to be awake from said nap.

“Ma,” it buzzed. Yanma surveyed the group and, apparently unimpressed, flew towards a nearby branch and nestled in for a nap.

Cleo could barely contain herself with the excitement of all the new Pokémon. Leedee and Bolt had obviously taken an immediate shine to one another, chasing each other playfully in a wide circle around the group. She gasped delightedly as Leedee swooped in close, Bolt rolling and pawing wildly at the air like a Skitty with a ball of string. Minny, not to be left out, chased after them with metallic yaps.

“They like each other! That’s so wonderful!”

“Y-yeah!” Wayne agreed, looking relieved. Eric began asking Wayne a slew of rapid-fire questions about Yanma’s moves and abilities. The bug catcher answered the best he could, a little unnerved by the fiery look in the younger boy’s eye.

Everyone paused for a moment as Topper stirred. He rolled onto his stomach, slowly, then carefully pushed himself up into a kneeling position. The bulbous head dialed in to Cleo’s position, on the ground after joining in with the Pokémon’s playtime, and he stuck both arms in the air in her direction. “Ralts.”

“Oh, sure Topper!” Cleo exclaimed, rolling to her feet immediately and making her way over. She picked him up under his outstretched arms, holding him on her hip like a baby. Eric rolled his eyes a bit at his sister’s hopeless coddling, but picked up his pack rather than further interrogating Wayne about his Pokémon. The relief on the older boy’s face could not have been more apparent.

“I guess that’s our cue to move on then.” he said casually, eyeing the road ahead of them. “If we move fast we might be able to make it up to route 103 today.”

“You’re in a hurry for someone who refused to get out of bed this morning.” Cleo teased, though she also began grabbing for her things. Bolt, Minny, and Leedee had all tired themselves into happy but exhausted heaps, so Eric and Wayne returned them to their Pokéballs to rest up. Yanma flew down and seemed content to perch on Wayne’s shoulder, gazing aristocratically out at the world as it passed by.

The path seemed relatively uninhabited during this hot part of the day. Clouds of bird Pokémon circled above, much too far away to catch but pretty to look at anyway. Wayne allowed Eric to borrow his binoculars to look up at them. The low mechanical narration of his Pokédex quickly becoming a familiar soundtrack over the rustling of leaves and tall grass. 

Route 110 was a peaceful route with the coast of the Eastern Hoenn Sea to the east and a forest that connected in to Oldale town to the west. Far above them, the sun approached its highest point in the sky. The group trotted happily along the road. They came upon a small collection of cottages just visible through the trees. Their dark wooden walls came to roofs made of the same material with stones resting in troughs to prevent the roofs from blowing off in the late summer gales. Sunlight filtered down through the leaves of the trees and danced upon the soft looking grass surrounding the cottages. 

“Let’s go check that out!” Cleo suggested. “Maybe we can find a nice place to stay tonight.”

“That’s not bad coming from you,” Eric teased. Wayne looked like he wanted to protest, but resigned himself as the siblings exchanged quips at each other.

The trio followed a thin path through the undergrowth that led to the cottages. The air smelled cool and clean.Wayne noticed a small pond behind one of the larger buildings that was fed by a stream that slithered its way out of the woods. The lands surrounding the clearing held several small cultivated patches with plants growing in them. At their feet were many different colored flowers that just barely peered out of the grasses at their feet. 

“Hello, travelers,” a kind voice came from behind them. They turned to see an elderly woman with white hair held back in a braid down her back and a dark green kimono with red spots lining the seams. At her side stood a green and white Pokémon that was a good five inches taller than she was. It stood on two legs and had what seemed like a mushroom for a hat.

“Breloom!” said the Pokémon cheerfully, obviously happy to have visitors.

“Hello, ma’am,” Eric and Cleo said politely and in unison. Wayne bowed awkwardly, almost flinging Smiley off his hat. Smiley quickly regained his footing and scrambled out of sight. Cleo giggled quietly at Smiley’s antics. Eric rolled his eyes.  
“Welcome to our herbalist village, my name is Severine and this is Breloom,” said the old woman.

“It’s nice to meet you,” Eric responded. “My name is Eric and this is my sister Cleo and our travelling companion, Wayne.” Wayne bowed rigidly.

“That’s a really pretty Pokémon you have there,” Cleo praised.

“Why, thank you, dear,” Severine replied. “Breloom helps me with my work as head herbalist and has been my partner for several decades. I met her when she was a Shroomish over in Petalburg Woods. I grew up just north of those woods, you see, and we would see many of them frolicking in the dense and damp forest.”

“So, what do you do here?” Eric asked. Severine smiled.

“We grow medicinal plants that we mix together and sell in markets across the region,” Severine responded. “The soil here is very fertile. The leaves here also seem to have a unique property. When composted into fertilizer, they make it so that the herbs don’t taste bitter when ingested. That is our main goal here; to make fine herbal remedies that aren’t horribly bitter and unpleasant like many of the others on the market. I would gladly show you around our small farm, if you’re interested?” The group seemed intrigued and graciously took Severine up on her offer.

“Hopefully, my son and his Tropius will be back soon, too,” she continued. “I’d very much like for you to meet him as well.” The old woman looked out toward the horizon.

“What does he do?” asked Cleo, while Topper hung limp in her arms.

“Oh, those two often fly to all of the markets, and sometimes they collect the fallen leaves from out beyond where we harvest,” Severine continued, gesturing out towards the woods. “Anyway, come now, you look like you’ve had a long journey out out there, and could use a good night’s rest.”

“N-no, that’s alright, we-” Wayne began.

“Thank you,” interjected Eric, “we’re just starting our Pokémon journey!”

“Yeah, my brother already caught a wild Pokémon!” said Cleo.

“Oh my,” Severine smiled, “in that case I’ll just have to make you tent outside for your first night.” The color drained from Eric and Cleo’s faces quicker than if they’d unzipped a Banette’s mouth. “I’m just teasing dears. Follow me, I can set you up in our guest room.” Wayne trailed behind. Yanma perched herself on top of his hat like a straw throne as Smiley crawled back into the drawstring backpack.

Severine led them through the village to her cabin, and waved at her neighbors as they tended the small fields. They seemed accustomed to passing Pokémon trainers, and smiled at them as they passed . Severine’s wooden cabin lay comfortably nestled between two plump Pecha berry trees. Though the outside was much more rustic than Eric and Cleo were used to, the inside revealed itself to be a cosy home. A patterned, yellow and green carpet covered most of the floor, as well as a low, rectangular table with six, floor cushions. Along the wall ran a long stone counter atop dark wooden shelves, with open cabinets overflowing with jars of grains, herbs, and spices. The windows let in plenty of daylight.

“If you’ll follow me up the stairs,” said Severine. The three of them carried their things upstairs and into a modest room with a bunk bed, and a little nightstand. “I’m afraid we don’t have three beds, but I think I have a few extra blankets…”

“N-no,” said Wayne. “Don’t trouble yourself. I can sleep outside, really, I don’t w-want to be a bother.” Eric shot him a nasty look as Yanma, opening one large green eye, buzzed off of Wayne’s hat and settled onto the top bunk like a Persian.

“Well aren’t you rugged and outdoorsy then,” smiled Severine, unaffected. “Though I’m certain you’re well prepared, it does get awfully cold and rainy at night this time of year. I’m certain I can ask Oliver, who tends the Miltank farm, if there is a covered plot you and your Pokémon could stay in.” Wayne winced, even more uncomfortable. Topper, hanging as if melted over Cleo’s arm, raised itself straight up in interest. She saw its eyes flow in a faint azure and felt, instantly, that Wayne, having spent his life outside and alone, had never felt particularly comfortable surrounded by people and four walls. Still, he was being rude.

“I can sleep on the floor, it’s no problem,” she volunteered. “Topper and I like to make ourselves a big nest we can roll around in anyway. Right Topper?” She grabbed a pile of blankets that were obviously clean and ready for guests and tossed them onto the floor, launching herself and Topper into the giant fluffy pile. They rolled playfully, Cleo on her back with Topper balanced in her outstretched arms, dangling above her impassively. Eric just rolled his eyes and put his bag down on the bottom bunk.

“She’ll be alright.” He said in a resigned tone. “They’re always like this.” Wayne still seemed uncomfortable, but had at least relaxed a bit in the knowledge that he wouldn’t be taking the bed from Cleo. Reluctantly he placed his bag on the top bunk next to Yanma. The fickle Pokémon had, true to form, curled up as if he owned the place and gone to sleep. Severine looked on benevolently.

 

After they had settled in for a bit Severine took them on a tour of the small village. There were only a dozen or so small houses scattered throughout the clearing, large broad-leaved trees creating pools of dappled shade in the otherwise rather sunny clearing. Neat gardens and stands of wildflowers scented the air with heady perfumes carried by the wind. The small group walked slowly along the earthen footpaths, matching Severine’s short stride as she patiently meandered along pointing things out to them. Half a dozen people could be seen among the rows of plants, carefully tending to the beds with hoes or filling large hand-woven baskets with freshly picked flowers and herbs. Cleo nearly melted as a Plusle and Minun bounced past them, a large basket laden with Nanab berries draped over their heads.

“Everyone seems so happy here!” she exclaimed, watching the pair carefully navigate the narrow paths to what looked like a simple storage barn. Severine smiled. 

“We here in Glenalia have dedicated our lives to living in tandem with nature and with Pokémon. It’s a simple life, but we like it.” She said, proudly.

Suddenly, there was the beating of great wings. Wayne nearly hit the ground in panic as the sun was blotted out by a large circling shape above them. He frantically tried to stuff Smiley back into the small bag on his back.

“Not to worry young man.” Severine comforted him. “It’s only my son and his Tropius arriving back home.”

They all hurried outside to see a giant winged Pokémon descending with a rider on its back. It had leaves for wings and bananas hanging from its neck. It touched down and the rider dismounted. He was a lot older than anyone in the group, but no more than 40 years old. He had dark brown hair that was almost black and wore a red scarf, a khaki jacket, and jeans.

“I’d like to introduce you to my son, Jackson,” Severine said as the man took his pack from a saddle on the Pokémon. Jackson was startled slightly by the immediate introduction.

“Well, hello. Hi, mom,” he said amicably and acknowledging his mother. “You must be traveling Pokémon trainers?” The giant curious Pokémon turned its long neck towards the group and smiled lazily.

“Wow, what a cool Pokémon!” Eric exclaimed,surveying Tropius. “I’ve only seen them on TV documentaries. I hear they’re very dependable.”

“Yes indeed,” Jackson agreed. “Tropius is extremely dependable, when it’s not sleeping of course. But when I need to fly somewhere, Tropius can get me there as smooth as can be! We just got back from delivery to its home jungle near Fortree City.” Tropius yawned and trudged off behind Severine’s cottage. Jackson smiled fondly as it went out of sight.

“I’m Eric, by the way,” Eric said, politely.

“I’m Cleo! This is Topper, my Ralts. Oh, and that’s Wayne!” Cleo quickly followed suit and immediately caught on because Wayne had already bowed to an awkward and silent depth.

“It’s very nice to meet you all,” Jackson said, happily. “I take it that my mother has been showing you all around the village?” He looked to his mother as she nodded and smiled.

“Glenalia really is a great place. Most of us here use Grass-type or Ground-type Pokémon to help with our cultivation, but I’m sure mom has already told you that,” Jackson said.

“Yes! It’s so pretty here and the air is so nice. I just want to run around barefoot and fall into a soft pile of grass for a nap!” Cleo said as she put her hands on her cheeks, excitedly. Severine smiled, kindly again.

“Why don’t I start on some dinner while you all take advantage of this nice day?” she proposed.

“Would you like some help?” Eric asked. “I’ve helped my parents a lot in the kitchen, so I wouldn’t mind helping to chop some vegetables for you.”

“Well, aren’t you sweet. I’d love your help,” Severine said, graciously. “The rest of you enjoy yourselves.” She and Eric went into the house and the sound of running water was soon audible from the outside.

“While they’re cooking dinner, would you two like to help out with some of the work that needs to be done on our fields before nightfall?” Jackson asked. Cleo and Wayne looked at each other and then back at Jackson and nodded, eagerly. Yanma hovered in place as they went into the shed in the back of the cottage.

Jackson ducked his head as he entered the tiny shed, and returned with a few pairs of thick canvas gloves.

“I hope you’re wearing clothes you want to get dirty,” he smiled, “because we’ve got to do a little weeding while it’s cool.” The sky had slowly faded to orange, with a ribbon of purple rising from the east.

“D-do you have any extra gloves?” asked Wayne as he released Leedee from his Pokéball. “Ledian derive energy from starlight, and I’m certain he wants the exercise, after being cooped up in his Pokéball all day.”

“From starlight!” exclaimed Cleo. “Ledian is the best Pokémon ever!” Wayne chuckled uncomfortably.

“Really? Most people say it’s only good for being cute,” he admitted mareepishly . Cleo shook her head vehemently in protest.

“You know that isn’t true!” she cried.

“Easy there,” said Jackson with a wide smile. “I'm sure I have some extra.” He brought out two more pairs and offered them to the four-armed Pokémon. Leedee looked puzzled, but Wayne put on his on gloves, and the red and black spotted Pokémon followed his example. They conversed with some of the other villagers as they weeded, and were surprised to find themselves sweating after only a few minutes. Smiley, meanwhile, managed to climb a small tree all by himself and began to spin a web. After an hour, there was too little daylight left to work in, so everyone thanked each other for their hard work, and returned to their cabins. Cleo, smelling the herbs and garlic as they baked, nearly floated in for dinner.

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading! Let us know what you think!


End file.
